Jones Caps Year With Top Honor

Marion Jones failed to reach her goal of five gold medals at the Sydney Games. All she did was win more medals than any female track athlete at a single Olympics.

That record-setting haul--three golds, two bronzes--in a personally stormy month was enough for Jones to be chosen as the Associated Press female athlete of the year.

In balloting by sportswriters and broadcasters, Jones received 27 first-place votes and 112 points, edging tennis star Venus Williams, runner-up with 16 1/2 firsts and 104 1/2 points. Golfer Karrie Webb was third with 30 points. Points were awarded on a 3-2-1 basis.

Last year’s winner, the U.S. soccer team, didn’t receive any votes this time.

Jones, 24, was the 10th woman track-and-field athlete to win the honor since the award was inaugurated in 1931, and the first since the late Florence Griffith Joyner in 1988.

Jones earned golds in the 100 and 200 meters and the 1,600 relay, the bronzes in the long jump and 400 relay.

“I set out to do something that a lot of people thought I couldn’t do,” Jones said. “I didn’t get everything I wanted, but I didn’t give in. I had a great shot and it didn’t pan out. I can live with that.”

Those bronzes could have been golds, Jones said.

“That gold medal was there for the taking in the long jump,” she said. “And in the [400] relay, we had some injuries [Gail Devers and Inger Miller]. We didn’t have our best horses.

“I wanted to win them all, and I still think it’s possible. But I didn’t, so I’m not going to dwell on that.”

The 400-relay team didn’t practice together until the day of the race.

Jones’ prediction, made two years in advance of the Sydney Games, earned her a lot of publicity, something she will avoid for the 2004 Olympics.

“I’ve vowed not to make a prediction such as the five golds, especially not four years prior to the next games,” Jones said. “But whatever I choose to do, I’ll try and make it as extraordinary as possible.”

The performances by Jones at Sydney were even more extraordinary, considering what was going on around her.

The IAAF, track and field’s world governing body, said midway through the games that her husband, 1999 world shot put champion C.J. Hunter, had tested positive for the steroid nandrolone four times after the U.S. Olympic trials. The disclosure came two days after Jones’ victory in the 100, meaning she had to compete in four events with that distraction.

“It was very unfortunate timing,” Jones said.

Williams had a 35-match winning streak during the year that included titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. She also starred at the Olympics, winning the singles title and teamed with sister Serena to win women’s doubles.

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Female Athlete of the Year Voting

Results for the 2000 Associated Press female athlete of the year, based on a 3-2-1 point system (first-place votes in parentheses):

Marion Jones (27) 112

Venus Williams (16) 104 1/2

Karrie Webb (4) 30

Cynthia Cooper (5) 27

Jenny Thompson (4) 26

Mia Hamm (1) 21

Cathy Freeman (2) 18

Serena Williams ( 1/2) 17 1/2

Lisa Fernandez (2) 11

Inge de Bruijn (1) 9

Juli Inkster (2) 7

Susie O’Neill (1) 5

Sheryl Swoopes 4

Tamika Catchings (1) 4

Amy Van Dyken 4

Martina Hingis 3

Jackie Stiles (1) 3

Megan Quann 2

Annika Sorenstam 2

Svetlana Abrosimova 1

Stacy Dragila 1

Michelle Kwan 1

Lisa Leslie 1

Tara Nott 1

Dara Torres 1